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Film: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Year: 2011
Director: David Fincher
Writer: Steven Zaillian
Starring: Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara and Christopher Plummer
Review:
In this film we see that it is Christopher Plummer’s birthday. He receives a message that another flower has arrived for him and they say what it is. It upsets him, but we learn no more.
From there we meet one of our main characters, a journalist who has just lost a court case and is held libel because he tried to take down one of the biggest businessmen in Sweden, but he didn’t have the proof, his source disappeared. The journalist is played by Daniel Craig.
Next we meet a young woman who is different. We first see her boss and a client who wants to meet her. She gets off her motorcycle exposing a black Mohawk. She is pale, has a lot of piercings on her face and ears. She comes in and we learn she is the best investigator that her boss has. She is played by Rooney Mara.
While Craig is trying to figure out what to do, he is given an offer by Plummer to come investigate what has happened to his favorite niece. She disappeared in the 60s without a trace and he is tormented by the killer who sends him another flower on his birthday, just like she did. He is reluctant at first, but agrees under the guise of writing Plummer’s memoirs. He is offered a lot of money.
Mara is under guardianship and the man who is hers has a stroke. She is given a new one who abuses his power in a horrible way. The only thing is we realize what Mara is capable of too.
When Craig needs a research assistant, he is told of Mara who investigated him. She agrees when she finds out what the assignment is. Can Craig and Mara solve the case of Harriet Vanger? Can they stop the killer of women they are investigating unknowingly as well?
This film is much closer to the book than the Swedish version, but in some aspects, I still like the Swedish one better. I think Mara did a great job at playing the role, but I think she used too much emotion. In that sense, Noomi Rapace was better at the role because she embodied it better. Craig was different in this role than most because he couldn’t use his strength or athletic ability and it was all about investigating and using his mental abilities. I think he did well. I am also adding this film to the horror film research due to it being a gritty, dark thriller. There are some atrocities that are committed in this film and they are pretty horrific.
As I said above, what I did like about this one is that it did follow the novel very closely and only changed a few details here and there. The ones they changed are really not that big of a deal though and doesn’t take anything away from the film.
With that said, if you liked the Swedish version, I do believe you’ll enjoy this one. If you didn’t like the subtitles, then definitely you will enjoy this one more. I definitely think the acting was good and the story was well, there are just a few minor details that differed from the book and a few things that bothered me personally about this film, but not enough for me to enjoy it. I highly recommend this film.
My Rating: 8 out of 10